Local Stakeholder Committees for State Forests and Nature Areas (DK0072)

The purpose of local stakeholder committees for state-owned forests and nature areas is to strengthen local involvement and enhance citizens’ influence on the management and use of state-owned nature areas. The commitment creates value for society by establishing a sound framework for outdoor recreational activities as well as nature conservation and efficient forestry operation of the state-owned areas. The commitment provides a scene for dialogue with citizens, associations and organisations as well as direct involvement in public decision-making pro- cesses. It offers an opportunity for civil society to influence the strategic and polit- ical work of the authority.

What is the societal problem that the commitment will address? The Danish Nature Agency manages approximately 200,000 hectares of state-owned nature areas with more than 200 million visits per year. These state-owned nature areas constitute Denmark's primary places for enjoy- ment of nature and cover 5 percent of Denmark's land area. The state- owned areas managed by the Danish Nature Agency simultaneously form an important basis for the authorities' activities towards supporting citizens' exercise and health, tourism and school education. A prerequisite for creating the greatest possible value for society in the form of a good framework for outdoor recreation, protection of nature and efficient operation of the state-owned nature areas is to involve stakeholders of these areas and strengthen their influence on the management and use of the ar- eas. This is exactly what the “local stakeholder committees” commitment aims to do.

What does the commitment entail? Each of the 16 local administrations of the Danish Nature Agency estab- lishes a local stakeholder committee. The members of the committees must represent the following three groups: • Stakeholders with a primary focus on active use of nature com- bined with outdoor recreation, e.g. mountain biking and horse- back riding. • Stakeholders with a primary focus on nature conservation regard- ing animals and plants combined with nature experiences. • Stakeholders with a primary focus on nature as part of tourism. In addition to the local stakeholder committee, public involvement will be fur- ther supported with initiatives and events.

How will the commitment contribute towards solving the societal problem? The purpose of local stakeholder committees is to enhance local involve- ment and citizens' influence on the management and use of the state-owned nature areas managed by the Danish Nature Agency. This adds value to so- ciety in general through a good framework for outdoor recreation, for conser- vation of nature and for efficient forestry operation of the state-owned nature areas.

Why is the commitment relevant to the OGP values? Local stakeholder committees for state-owned nature areas contribute to the involvement of and dialogue with citizens, associations and organisations in public decision-making processes for the use of nature areas. The involve- ment strengthens cooperation and interaction between citizens and the state institution, the Danish Nature Agency. The involvement also increases the possibility of creating local solutions to local issues in the local area. When the public has the opportunity within a defined framework to comment on and make proposals to the Danish Nature Agency's management of for- ests and nature areas it also gives civil society the opportunity to provide in- put and feedback to the authority's work with nature areas.

Additional Information The commitment is developed from an earlier form of local stakeholder com- mittees in the management of the Danish Nature Agency. Following the im- plementation of the new commitment, • Authorities will no longer have members in the committees. This is to separate the role of authority from that of management. • The local stakeholder committeesare responsible for their own tasks and act as an umbrella organisation for the special forums associated with each local unit's management. • Membership composition and focus areas will be expanded with representatives focusing on nature experiences, nature conserva- tion and tourism. • The number of meetings in the local stakeholder committees has increased to at least two meetings per year. • There is a greater focus on the involvement of local residents.

Activities or milestones with verifiable deliverables | Start date - End date

Establishment of the local stakeholder committee and appointment of members. | 01 January 2023 - 30 June 2023

At least two meetings of each local stakeholder com- mittee per year. | 01 January 2023 - 31 December 2024

In connection with user council meetings, at least one excursion is held per year, where the public is in- vited. | 01 January 2023 - 31 December 2024

At least one event per year, where the public is invited to participate and contribute with suggestions and com- ments on the Danish Nature Agency's land manage- ment. | 01 January 2023 - 31 December 2024

At least once a year, com- mitments are launched with the aim of increasing stake- holder involvement. | 01 January 2023 - 31 December 2024

Review of the new local stakeholder committee setup. | The Danish Nature Agency is con- ducting a review of the new rules and framework after 2024.